Wit and Wisdom

If you have ever worked in a soup kitchen, donated blood or spent a Saturday afternoon cleaning your local beach or park, you know volunteering is good for you!

People enjoy doing things that bring more meaning and purpose to their lives. Older adults are no different.

Here are a few of the benefits volunteering offers older adults who want to lead active, healthy lifestyles:

Healthy body, healthy mind - Studies show volunteering is good for both our bodies and our minds. Among other benefits, volunteering can reduce stress, improve mood, help prevent loneliness and lower the risk of developing high blood pressure. So, for older adults with physical ailments, volunteering can actually make you feel better.

Trying new things - Volunteering allows older adults to stay active. Whether reading to school children, visiting with patients in the hospital or baking dog treats for a local shelter, volunteering offers an array of opportunities to try new things.

Leaving a legacy - Older adults often think about how they have contributed to the world and what mark they will leave behind. Volunteering gives a sense of purpose, while simultaneously making a positive difference in the world by improving the life of another.

Connecting with others - Forging connections with people is part of what makes us human. Volunteering provides more opportunities to connect with different types of people. Atria communities are always in search of intergenerational opportunities for residents, such as working in a community garden with a group of Eagle Scouts or writing cards to soldiers with a local youth group.

It’s enjoyable - When an Atria resident who volunteers at the library was asked why volunteering is important to her, she said, “It’s fun, and it gives me something to do.”She’s right; being a small part of something much larger than yourself is just plain fun.